Many have created ramps, including telescoping ramps, that can be used for a multitude of purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,335 to Johns discloses a telescopic tailgate ramp for the back of a pickup truck. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,071 to Breslin, et al., discloses a telescopic truck loading ramp assembly to facilitate the loading and unloading of a truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,950 to Gewirtz discloses a ramp assembly for spanning between two surfaces. The ramp assembly includes two elongated runners with angular support members integral with each end of each runner for engaging an upper surface and lower surface. However, the angular supports disclosed by the Gewirtz reference are not supported other than through their being integrated to the load bearing surface of the runners with no lateral support from the sides of the runners. Gewirtz discloses nested runners wherein the inner runner includes tracks that are integral with the runner and have a cross-sectional profile that is inclined less than 30 degrees to the vertical relative to the cross-sectional profile of the channel of the complementary runner. The purpose of the angle of the track is to lock the complementary runners when weight is applied to the load bearing surface. The Gewirtz ramp lacks structural support at the angular support members and its integrated structure makes it difficult to construct out of light weight materials. The angular deployment of its tracks on one of its runners makes it susceptible to collapse when heavier objects or animals are placed on the ramp in its extended state.
The telescoping ramp of the present invention solves the shortcomings of the past telescoping ramps.